Cuban Wrestlers Shine at 2023 World Wrestling Championships

Cuban Wrestlers Shine at 2023 World Wrestling Championships

Latin America Makes Its Mark

The 2023 World Wrestling Championships concluded with Latin American countries making a significant mark. Six medals were won collectively by the Latin American countries, and seven Olympic quotas were secured for the Paris 2024 games. The Cuban wrestling team, in particular, displayed remarkable performances.

Cuban Wrestlers Triumph

Luis Orta and Gabriel Rosillo from the Cuban wrestling team were the main highlights of the championship. Orta, who moved to the -67 kg category in the current Olympic cycle, celebrated his win as the World Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling. His victory was met with applause, shouts, and acrobatics, marking a memorable moment in the championship. Rosillo also triumphed in the Greco-Roman wrestling -97 kg category, further establishing Cuba’s dominance in this discipline.

Aside from the gold medalists, Óscar Pino clinched a bronze medal for Cuba in the Greco-Roman wrestling -130 kg category. Furthermore, Milaimys Marín, who ranked fifth in the women’s freestyle wrestling -76 kg category, secured a fourth Olympic quota for Cuba.

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Other Latin American Victors

Colombian wrestler Tatiana Rentería clinched the bronze medal in the women’s freestyle wrestling -76 kg category. This marks a steady rise in her career, as she was the runner-up in the 2021 U23 World Championship and the champion in the 2022 U23 World Championship. With a bronze in the 2023 World Championship under her belt, she is the only Colombian woman alongside double Olympic medalist Jackeline Rentería to reach the podium at a World Championship.

Puerto Rican wrestler Sebastián Rivera won in the men’s freestyle wrestling -65 kg category. This victory earned the first medal for Puerto Rico in a World Championship since 2011. Lucía Yépez of Ecuador also bagged a bronze medal, contributing to the total medal count of Latin American countries. All the medalists secured an Olympic quota for their respective countries.

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Olympic Quotas and the Role of the National Olympic Committees

The wrestling quotas from this championship are awarded to the National Olympic Committees (NOC), which have the exclusive authority to represent their respective countries in the Olympic Games. Therefore, the athletes’ participation in Paris 2024 will depend on their selection by their NOC to represent their delegation in the upcoming Olympic Games.

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